Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Photo of the Day: President Obama and Clinton plant a tree
President Barack Obama watches as former President Bill Clinton plants a tree at Kenilworth Aquatic Garden in Washington as part of a national service project.
AP Photo.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Manatees die at alarming rate
Manatee deaths in South Florida baffling
By DAVID FLESHLER
Sun-Sentinel
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Six manatees were killed by watercraft in Palm Beach County in 2008, a figure that ties the county record and mystifies conservation officials who had put more police on the water to protect the endangered mammals.
The county's total falls well below the death toll elsewhere, such as that in state leader Lee County, which had 14 deaths. But it follows two years in which no manatees were killed in Palm Beach County and is only the third time the number has been that high.
...
No one knows how many manatees live in Florida, but aerial surveys generally count about 3,000.
Enormous resources have been devoted to protecting them, as scientists research red tide, police patrol for speeding boats and government agencies protect coastal habitats. Tripp said the 30-year protection effort preserves many of the environmental assets that originally drew people to Florida.
"When you protect manatees, you protect seagrass flats," Tripp said. "When you protect manatees, you protect water quality. When you protect manatees, you protect springs. When you protect manatees, you protect all of coastal Florida."
Read the rest of the story here.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Photo of the Day: Andean condor
Above, veterinarians check over a five-month-old, female Andean condor named Sierra at the Denver Zoo to prepare the bird to be transferred to the White Oak Conservation Center in Yulee, Fla. The condor will be eventually released into the Colombian Andes in late 2009 or early 2010.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Monday, January 5, 2009
Jaguar cub named
Results are in: Maya is the chosen name for the Palm Beach Zoo's 2-month old female jaguar cub.
The name was selected through a naming contest organized by the zoo and The Palm Beach Post.
According to The Post's Cubcam page, readers cast a total of 2,459 votes. Out of the five names, Maya received 1,219.
The word "Maya" is of Sanskrit origin and means "illusion."
Learn more.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Detroit Church prays for auto bailout
The future of the auto industry is now in the hands of God.
That was the message behind the Sunday service led by Rev. Charles Ellis, of Detroit's Greater Grace Temple church, according to a Reuters report.
Alongside three hybrid SUV models from GM, Ford and Chrysler, Ellis stood at the altar and urged his parishioners, many of them auto workers, to pray for the approval of the bailout package proposed to Congress.
"This week, lives are hanging above an abyss of uncertainty as both houses of Congress decide whether to extend a helping hand," Ellis preached to the congregation. "We have never seen as midnight an hour as we face this week," he added.
Other Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders in "The Motor City" have also urged Congress to approve an auto aid package.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Florida approves California emissions limits
A satate commission approved today will toughen emissions standards for new cars sold in Florida, according to the Asssociated Press.
The Environmental Regulation Commission voted 6-1 on Tuesday to adopt California's emissions rules as a way of lowering greenhouse gases, which some blame for global warming.
The rules calling for more fuel efficient vehicles must now be approved by the Legislature. It is a priority for Gov. Charlie Crist.
Auto manufacturers and dealers oppose the standards, saying they will drive up vehicle costs and make some light trucks unavailable in Florida.
The Environmental Regulation Commission voted 6-1 on Tuesday to adopt California's emissions rules as a way of lowering greenhouse gases, which some blame for global warming.
The rules calling for more fuel efficient vehicles must now be approved by the Legislature. It is a priority for Gov. Charlie Crist.
Auto manufacturers and dealers oppose the standards, saying they will drive up vehicle costs and make some light trucks unavailable in Florida.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Environmental groups meet in support of Clean Car Act
Several environmental groups will display cars in the courtyard of the State Capitol that would meet a new clean emissions standard being proposed by Gov. Charlie Crist, The Associated Press reports today.
Representatives from the Sierra Club, Florida Wildlife Federation, Earthjustice and Florida Audubon will be at the Monday morning event to speak about the cars and the need for the new rule.
The Florida Environmental Regulation Commission is set to vote on the standard Tuesday morning.
According to the agenda, Tuesday's meeting will be a Continuation of the hearing held on Oct. 29 Rule 62-285.400, Florida Administrative Code, “Adoption of California Motor Vehicle Emission Standards.”
The agenda states that Greg DeAngelo, Professional Engineer, Division of Air Resource Management, will provide the proposed new rule which will require that motor vehicles delivered to Florida for sale, lease, or rent meet the motor vehicle emission standards in Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations. Motor vehicle manufacturers will also have to comply with fleet-average standards for greenhouse gas emissions.
For those interested in attending, the meeting will take place in the following location:
Conference Room A, Marjory Stoneman Douglas Building
3900 Commonwealth Blvd.
Tallahassee, Florida
December 2, 2008, 9:00 a.m.
Representatives from the Sierra Club, Florida Wildlife Federation, Earthjustice and Florida Audubon will be at the Monday morning event to speak about the cars and the need for the new rule.
The Florida Environmental Regulation Commission is set to vote on the standard Tuesday morning.
According to the agenda, Tuesday's meeting will be a Continuation of the hearing held on Oct. 29 Rule 62-285.400, Florida Administrative Code, “Adoption of California Motor Vehicle Emission Standards.”
The agenda states that Greg DeAngelo, Professional Engineer, Division of Air Resource Management, will provide the proposed new rule which will require that motor vehicles delivered to Florida for sale, lease, or rent meet the motor vehicle emission standards in Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations. Motor vehicle manufacturers will also have to comply with fleet-average standards for greenhouse gas emissions.
For those interested in attending, the meeting will take place in the following location:
Conference Room A, Marjory Stoneman Douglas Building
3900 Commonwealth Blvd.
Tallahassee, Florida
December 2, 2008, 9:00 a.m.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Man leads recovery effort that saves an entire species from extinction
In It Takes Just One Village to Save a Species , New York Times reporter Phil McKenna tells about the survival of the langur, which was listed as highly endangered in 1996, in the Nongguan Nature Reserve in Chongzuo, in China, and how one man--Pan Wenshi, made this species' recovery possible.
Read the article here.
View a Slideshow Presentation here.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Flamingos fleeting Florida?
Humans are not the only ones seeking refuge from hurricanes and other natural disasters.
So are flamingos.
Hundreds of these unique pink birds fled Florida in the past few weeks, in an effort to find protection from Tropical Storm Fay and both Hurricane Gustav and Ike's forceful winds and rain.
But, where did they fly off to?
Apparently, many of them went to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Many Hancock County residents have spotted them in the waters of Waveland and other nearby cities. This according to an article from the Biloxi Sun Herald. Take a look at the story here and a video here.
No need to worry though. Experts say the flamingos will come back to Florida once the coast is clear.
"Biologists say they will be able to find their way back home to Cuba, the Everglades, the Keys, or wherever they are from,' the article reads.
So are flamingos.
Hundreds of these unique pink birds fled Florida in the past few weeks, in an effort to find protection from Tropical Storm Fay and both Hurricane Gustav and Ike's forceful winds and rain.
But, where did they fly off to?
Apparently, many of them went to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Many Hancock County residents have spotted them in the waters of Waveland and other nearby cities. This according to an article from the Biloxi Sun Herald. Take a look at the story here and a video here.
No need to worry though. Experts say the flamingos will come back to Florida once the coast is clear.
"Biologists say they will be able to find their way back home to Cuba, the Everglades, the Keys, or wherever they are from,' the article reads.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Palin on offshore oil drilling, polar bears and global warming
Palin questioned whether global warming is melting Arctic sea ice
By Renee Schoof, McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON — Sen. John McCain's choice of a running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska , favors drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, questioned the science behind predictions of sea ice loss linked to global warming and opposed a state initiative that would have banned metal mines from discharging pollution into salmon streams.
The Alaska governor has said that she's tried to persuade McCain to agree with her on drilling in the wildlife refuge. She also has said that she was happy that he changed his position over the summer and now supports offshore oil drilling.
In oil-rich Alaska , most residents support Arctic Refuge drilling.
Palin's environmental views could get more of an airing now that she's landed on the national stage. A look at some recent developments and her record so far in Alaska provide some insights into her thinking about climate change and other issues.
Earlier this month, the state of Alaska under Palin's guidance sued Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne in an attempt to reverse his decision to list polar bears as a threatened species. Palin said that scientists' predictions that global warming will eliminate the ice where the bears live in summer were unreliable.
Arctic sea ice shrank to a record low by the end of last summer, and satellites now show that the ice has been reduced to a level very close to last year's with some days remaining before a new winter season begins.
The Anchorage Daily News reported in May that the head of the marine mammals program for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and two other marine mammal biologists on his staff agreed with nine studies the federal government cited to justify listing polar bears as a threatened species.
Their e-mail appeared to contradict Palin's assertions that state wildlife officials had found no reason to list the bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Palin wrote in a January that she based her opposition to listing the bears on "a comprehensive review by state wildlife officials of scientific information from a broad range of climate, ice and polar bear experts."
Palin created a commission to plan for how the state will try to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and plan to adapt to warming, but she hasn't set any emission reduction goals for Alaska .
"It's like asking somebody to construct a stadium without giving them a blueprint," said Kate Troll , the director of Alaska Conservation Voters.
Recently, Palin publicly said she'd vote no on a state initiative that said no large metal mines would be permitted to pollute streams where salmon spawn. The initiative was aimed at the Pebble mine near Bristol Bay , a major fishery. Voters defeated it on Tuesday.
Palin hasn't made a definitive statement about the mine, but the initiative was targeted at it.
Troll said that Palin has been a supporter of state funding for renewable energy initiatives, but has a "failing record" on wildlife.
She also said the governor supports hunting wolves and bears from the air and differs with environmentalists on a number of wildlife issues.
The League of Conservation Voters , an advocacy group that backs pro-environment candidates, said it was disappointed with McCain's choice of Palin.
By Renee Schoof, McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON — Sen. John McCain's choice of a running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska , favors drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, questioned the science behind predictions of sea ice loss linked to global warming and opposed a state initiative that would have banned metal mines from discharging pollution into salmon streams.
The Alaska governor has said that she's tried to persuade McCain to agree with her on drilling in the wildlife refuge. She also has said that she was happy that he changed his position over the summer and now supports offshore oil drilling.
In oil-rich Alaska , most residents support Arctic Refuge drilling.
Palin's environmental views could get more of an airing now that she's landed on the national stage. A look at some recent developments and her record so far in Alaska provide some insights into her thinking about climate change and other issues.
Earlier this month, the state of Alaska under Palin's guidance sued Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne in an attempt to reverse his decision to list polar bears as a threatened species. Palin said that scientists' predictions that global warming will eliminate the ice where the bears live in summer were unreliable.
Arctic sea ice shrank to a record low by the end of last summer, and satellites now show that the ice has been reduced to a level very close to last year's with some days remaining before a new winter season begins.
The Anchorage Daily News reported in May that the head of the marine mammals program for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and two other marine mammal biologists on his staff agreed with nine studies the federal government cited to justify listing polar bears as a threatened species.
Their e-mail appeared to contradict Palin's assertions that state wildlife officials had found no reason to list the bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Palin wrote in a January that she based her opposition to listing the bears on "a comprehensive review by state wildlife officials of scientific information from a broad range of climate, ice and polar bear experts."
Palin created a commission to plan for how the state will try to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and plan to adapt to warming, but she hasn't set any emission reduction goals for Alaska .
"It's like asking somebody to construct a stadium without giving them a blueprint," said Kate Troll , the director of Alaska Conservation Voters.
Recently, Palin publicly said she'd vote no on a state initiative that said no large metal mines would be permitted to pollute streams where salmon spawn. The initiative was aimed at the Pebble mine near Bristol Bay , a major fishery. Voters defeated it on Tuesday.
Palin hasn't made a definitive statement about the mine, but the initiative was targeted at it.
Troll said that Palin has been a supporter of state funding for renewable energy initiatives, but has a "failing record" on wildlife.
She also said the governor supports hunting wolves and bears from the air and differs with environmentalists on a number of wildlife issues.
The League of Conservation Voters , an advocacy group that backs pro-environment candidates, said it was disappointed with McCain's choice of Palin.
"Unfortunately, with her support for drilling in the Arctic Refuge and off our coasts, Governor Palin will simply continue the failed policies of the Bush-Cheney administration and their Big Oil friends — policies that could make us even more dependent on foreign oil," League of Conservation Voters president Gene Karpinski said in a statement.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Obama considers off-shore drilling
Obama would consider off-shore drilling as part of comprehensive energy plan
By MICHAEL C. BENDER
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, August 01, 2008
ST. PETERSBURG — U.S. Sen. Barack Obama said today he would be willing to open Florida's coast for more oil drilling if it meant winning approval for broad energy changes.
"My interest is in making sure we've got the kind of comprehensive energy policy that can bring down gas prices," Obama said in an interview with The Palm Beach Post.
"If, in order to get that passed, we have to compromise in terms of a careful, well thought-out drilling strategy that was carefully circumscribed to avoid significant environmental damage - I don't want to be so rigid that we can't get something done," Obama said.
Off-shore drilling has become a push-button issue in the presidential campaign since Republican candidate John McCain announced his support to open more of the country's coastline for drilling in order to reduce gas prices. Both candidates are campaigning in Florida today.
Obama has opposed exposing more coastline to drilling, saying that oil companies have not fully explored the areas open to drilling now and insisting that it would have little immediate impact on prices at the pump.
After speaking to a capacity crowd at Gibbs High School auditorium in St. Petersburg, he told the Post he would be open to expanding the current drilling boundaries if it meant winning approval for more fuel-efficient cars, developing alternative energy sources and making the country more "energy independent."
"I think it's important for the American people to understand we're not going to drill our way out of this problem," he said.
"It's also important to recognize if you start drilling now you won't see a drop of oil for ten years, which means its not going to have a significant impact on short-term prices. Every expert agrees on that."
McCain has tried to paint Obama as an obstacle to lower gas prices in a pair of television ads that boast McCain's off-shore drilling position while blaming Obama for $4-per-gallon gas. Neither of the ads have targeted Florida voters.
Once a taboo topic in Florida politics, some Republicans in the state, including Gov. Charlie Crist, have said they'd be willing to explore Florida's coast to combat soaring gas prices.
"The Republicans and the oil companies have been really beating the drums on drilling," Obama said in the interview. "And so we don't want gridlock. We want to get something done."
Meanwhile, watch as McCain makes his statement on off-shore drilling here:
By MICHAEL C. BENDER
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, August 01, 2008
ST. PETERSBURG — U.S. Sen. Barack Obama said today he would be willing to open Florida's coast for more oil drilling if it meant winning approval for broad energy changes.
"My interest is in making sure we've got the kind of comprehensive energy policy that can bring down gas prices," Obama said in an interview with The Palm Beach Post.
"If, in order to get that passed, we have to compromise in terms of a careful, well thought-out drilling strategy that was carefully circumscribed to avoid significant environmental damage - I don't want to be so rigid that we can't get something done," Obama said.
Off-shore drilling has become a push-button issue in the presidential campaign since Republican candidate John McCain announced his support to open more of the country's coastline for drilling in order to reduce gas prices. Both candidates are campaigning in Florida today.
Obama has opposed exposing more coastline to drilling, saying that oil companies have not fully explored the areas open to drilling now and insisting that it would have little immediate impact on prices at the pump.
After speaking to a capacity crowd at Gibbs High School auditorium in St. Petersburg, he told the Post he would be open to expanding the current drilling boundaries if it meant winning approval for more fuel-efficient cars, developing alternative energy sources and making the country more "energy independent."
"I think it's important for the American people to understand we're not going to drill our way out of this problem," he said.
"It's also important to recognize if you start drilling now you won't see a drop of oil for ten years, which means its not going to have a significant impact on short-term prices. Every expert agrees on that."
McCain has tried to paint Obama as an obstacle to lower gas prices in a pair of television ads that boast McCain's off-shore drilling position while blaming Obama for $4-per-gallon gas. Neither of the ads have targeted Florida voters.
Once a taboo topic in Florida politics, some Republicans in the state, including Gov. Charlie Crist, have said they'd be willing to explore Florida's coast to combat soaring gas prices.
"The Republicans and the oil companies have been really beating the drums on drilling," Obama said in the interview. "And so we don't want gridlock. We want to get something done."
Meanwhile, watch as McCain makes his statement on off-shore drilling here:
Sunday, July 27, 2008
The cutest (and best) letter-opener ever!
Forget about scissors, knifes, actual letter-openers and other gadgets. Get a cute, little bunny like this one to get all your mail opened in no time at all:
Friday, July 18, 2008
Florida no longer the "Sunshine" State
Time Magazine's Michael Grunwald recently wrote an excellent article on all the problems that South Florida's currently facing, including the housing and economic crises. Of the environmental crisis, he speaks at length.
Here, an excerpt of Grunwald's Is Florida the Sunset State?:
Florida now has 18 million residents, most of them south of Orlando. Such progress had a price. Half the Everglades is gone. The rest is polluted, disconnected and infested by invasive species ranging from fast-growing ferns to pythons.(Personal note- read about Florida's python problem here)
And South Florida is having an ecological and hydrological meltdown, the legacy of a century of plumbing and dredging and growing without much thinking. The Everglades ecosystem now hosts 69 threatened or endangered species, and its rookeries and fisheries have crashed. Massive algal blooms are turning Florida Bay into pea soup. The region's reefs have lost up to 95% of their elkhorn coral; persistent red tides have made it tough for sunbathers to breathe at the beach.
Now the rainiest swath of the country is running dry, facing a specter of structural droughts. And the dike around Lake O. is leaking so badly that water managers routinely dump billions of precious gallons out of the lake to avoid a 1928-style calamity, ravaging estuaries and draining the region's water supply. This spring the lake fell so low that 40,000 acres of its exposed bottom burned out of control, along with 40,000 acres of the perennially parched Everglades National Park...
Read the entire article here.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Picture of the day: Sleepy bengal tiger cub
One of two white Bengal tiger cubs at the Saskatoon Zoo in Saskatoon yawns following his feeding. The tigers' mother Rani didn't have milk, so the cubs, just over one month old, are currently cared for by zoo keepers.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Geoff Howe)
Source: Yahoo.com
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Happy Birthday, Tai Shan!
Tai Shan, one of the country's most beloved giant pandas, is celebrating his third birthday today!
Lil' Butterstick (as he is also known) was born at the Smithsonian National Zoo on July 9, 2005, to proud parents Mei Xiang and Tian Tian.
His birthday celebration is great news to conservationists and panda fans alike since pandas are a highly endangered species. To make matters wose, they have a very low birthrate, both in the wild and in captivity.
The fact that Tai Shan's is turning three and is in excellent health is a conservation success story- he is only the third giant panda to be born in the United States and survive. He is also the first surviving panda born at the Smithsonian National Zoo in its 119-year history.
As a special birthday present, Tai Shan got not one, but three popsicles filled with frozen bamboo leaves and orange slices. He also got to enjoy a huge water-and-gelatin fruitcicle in the shape of a number three!
It's not too late to send Tai Shan a Happy Birthday card! You can do so by a adopting a panda or making a donation.
Lil' Butterstick (as he is also known) was born at the Smithsonian National Zoo on July 9, 2005, to proud parents Mei Xiang and Tian Tian.
His birthday celebration is great news to conservationists and panda fans alike since pandas are a highly endangered species. To make matters wose, they have a very low birthrate, both in the wild and in captivity.
The fact that Tai Shan's is turning three and is in excellent health is a conservation success story- he is only the third giant panda to be born in the United States and survive. He is also the first surviving panda born at the Smithsonian National Zoo in its 119-year history.
As a special birthday present, Tai Shan got not one, but three popsicles filled with frozen bamboo leaves and orange slices. He also got to enjoy a huge water-and-gelatin fruitcicle in the shape of a number three!
It's not too late to send Tai Shan a Happy Birthday card! You can do so by a adopting a panda or making a donation.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Fla. biologist saves 375 lb. bear from drowning
A Florida biologist saved a 375 lb. black bear from drowning after it fell into the Gulf of Mexico's waters Tuesday. 
The bear had been shot with a tranquilizer dart by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists who wanted to safely remove him from a residential area.
The intent was to take him to nearby woods, but as the medicine started to take effect, the bear fell into the water unconscious.
That's when FWC biologist Adam Warwicks took off his shirt and shoes and bravely dove in the water to rescue the bear.
Watch the video.
The bear had been shot with a tranquilizer dart by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists who wanted to safely remove him from a residential area.
The intent was to take him to nearby woods, but as the medicine started to take effect, the bear fell into the water unconscious.
That's when FWC biologist Adam Warwicks took off his shirt and shoes and bravely dove in the water to rescue the bear.
Watch the video.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Governor Charlie Crist approves deal, acquires 187,000 acres for the Everglades
From The Palm Beach Post:
BY Staff writers Dianna Smith and Jennifer Sorentrue
WST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and other state leaders signed off Tuesday on the outlines of a $1.75 billion deal that will give United States Sugar Corp. six years to end its operations while handing taxpayers control over 187,000 acres in the historic northern Everglades.
Crist called the purchase "as monumental as our nation's first national park" — Yellowstone, created by then-President Ulysses Grant.
Besides helping restore the Everglades, environmentalists hope, the purchase also would allow the state to end the harmful dumping of noxious Lake Okeechobee water into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. Instead, the water could flow through marshes that would cleanse it and return it to the Everglades. Read more...
UPDATE: Blockbuster land deal faces many obstacles
See a slideshow here.
BY Staff writers Dianna Smith and Jennifer Sorentrue
WST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and other state leaders signed off Tuesday on the outlines of a $1.75 billion deal that will give United States Sugar Corp. six years to end its operations while handing taxpayers control over 187,000 acres in the historic northern Everglades.
Crist called the purchase "as monumental as our nation's first national park" — Yellowstone, created by then-President Ulysses Grant.
Besides helping restore the Everglades, environmentalists hope, the purchase also would allow the state to end the harmful dumping of noxious Lake Okeechobee water into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. Instead, the water could flow through marshes that would cleanse it and return it to the Everglades. Read more...
UPDATE: Blockbuster land deal faces many obstacles
See a slideshow here.
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